Deciding the Right Sort
by Lexax the Poet
Summary: Where Harry goes to Hogwarts, meets people, makes friends and has a good time. Though, deciding the right sort could mean the difference between controlling, and being controlled. Might be OOC, but i'm trying my best! ...Well, not really, but i'm trying.


"Excuse me Sir, could you tell me where platform Nine and Three Quarters is?" The conductor rolled his eyes.

"Listen kid, There's no such thing as Platform Nine and Three Quarters. You're the eighth kid to ask me today, so you'll have to forgive me if I'm tired of saying it. Now bugger off!"

As the Conductor walked away, a small boy came close to tears. Hagrid had told him to board the train at 11, and there was a quarter of an hour until then. But a quarter of an hour doesn't seem very long if you dont know where your destination is. Harry Potter rolled back his oversized sleeve in frustration and bit his forearm. The pain helped with the tears; it washed away the terror with its stinging sensation. Harry was alone in the non magical world, looking for a platform that didn't seem to exist. He began to wonder if this was some incredibly sick joke played by the Dursleys. He bit down harder.

"Hey! Stop that!" Harry looked up in surprise. A small red headed girl was walking towards him quickly, her face was a cross between worried and irritated. "Are you trying to hurt yourself?" She asked accusingly.

"Yes." Harry answered simply. That answer threw her off.

"Well... stop it!" She said after floundering for a moment. Harry got a good look at this girl. She had light brown eyes, like a warm mug of tea with a bit of milk in it. She had small freckles across the bridge of her nose that werent noticeable unless you looked closely, and she had slightly ragged looking clothes, just like Harry, except hers weren't foursizes too big. "What's your name?" She asked, her tone a bit kinder now he had stopped biting himself.

"Harry. What's yours?" Harry asked timidly.

"Ginevra. But everyone calls me Ginny." She replied.

"I like your name, Ginevra." Harry said shyly. He had never really complimented anyone before. Ginevra blushed slightly and held out her hand. Harry flinched for a moment, but realizing what she wanted, he shook her hand. Ginevra noticed, but didn't say anything.

Harry spoke again. "I don't suppose you know how to get to Platform Nine and Three Quarters?" It was only then that Ginevra noticed Harry's cart. A Hogwarts trunk lay flat on it, and on top of the trunk, in a cage, was a beautiful snowy owl. Ginevra admired his owl for a moment before coming to her senses.

"Yeah, I know how to get there!" She said happily. Harry was expecting her to just look at him strangely. "You just walk through the brick pillar between platforms 9 and 10." She pointed out said pillar. Harry looked at her with disbelief on his face. Ginevra saw the look on his face and smiled. "Come on. I'll show you how it's done. My family are here, and four of my brothers go to Hogwarts. Maybe you could be friends with them."

Harry was relived that this wasn't a horrible joke and quickly followed Ginevra to where her family was. They all had the same coloured hair as Ginevra, though they had substantially more freckles. The only other female in the group had to be their mother. She was currently wiping the nose of what appered to be her youngest son. He was trying to get away from her and her nose cleaning hankerchief of doom, but was failing with aplomb. Just to the right of them, two people that looked exactly alike were playing Rock Paper Scissors. Oddly enough, they kept getting the same results. Rock for Rock, Paper for Paper, and so on. To the left side of their mother was a rather pompus looking young man with curly red hair and horned rim glasses. He seemed to be adjusting something on the side of his shirt, just above his heart.

Ginevra's mother finally noticed Harry and Ginevra. "Ginny, who's your friend?" She asked. Harry liked her voice. It sounded protective, but strong.

"This is Harry, Mum. He's going to Hogwarts too. Can I show him how to get to the Platform?" Ginevra's mother looked at Harry, and a flash of recognition flashed across her face, but only for a moment.

"Of course you can dear. Just be careful. If you're nervous, just take it at a run." She said in a motherly voice. Harry liked this woman very much.

"Thank you ma'am." Harry said politely.

"Just call me Molly, dear." She replied with a smile.

"Come on Harry!" Ginevra said with excitement in her voice. In fact, she was practically bouncing with excitement. They both held on to Harry's cart, both of them being small enough that they could do that. They ran towards the pillar between platforms 9 and 10. Harry was expecting to go splat against the wall, so he squeezed his eyes shut. When he didn't feel anything go splat, he opened his eyes. The sight that greeted him was magnificent. It was a black and burgandy train. Steam billowed out of the engine car as if it couldnt wait to be off on it's way. Children and adults were saying goodbye on the platform. There was a cacophany of sounds from various owls and cats, and one very loud croak from a toad. Ginevra stared in awe at the train, much the same way Harry was. The rest of the red haired family arrived behind them, reminding them that Harry had to get on the train.

Harry was taking Hedwig and his trunk off the cart, when he noticed that Ginevra didn't have anything like a trunk with her. "Are you not coming with us?" Harry asked her.

"No..." She answered sadly. "I'm only 10, so I can't go yet." This made Harry sad too. The first friend he'd had couldn't come with him. Ginevra saw the look of total hopelesness on his face, so she quickly said more, hoping to cheer him up. "I'll be going next year though! But until then, you could write to me."

"How do I write to you?" Harry asked. "Are there any post offices there?"

"You write a letter, then tie it to the leg of your owl. That way we can keep in touch all year." This cheered Harry up immensly.

Ginevra held Hedwig's cage while Harry heaved his trunk up the steps of the train. She handed Hedwig to him. Harry thanked her and went to find a compartment. Thankfully, he found an empty one not too far from where he got on. He quickly put the trunk and Hedwig down, and opened the window. He scanned the crowd and quickly found Ginevra.

"Bye, Ginevra!" He shouted to her. "I'll make sure to write to you as much as I can!" Ginevra heard him and waved, smiling the biggest smile she could. Harry smiled back, just as much. Suddenly the train lurched, surprising Harry and making him fall down on the seat. One of his buttons caught the open window as he fell and popped off his shirt. It fell on to the platform, where Ginevra picked it up.

"I'll give it back to you as soon as I can, Harry!" She shouted over the roar of the train. Harry stuck his head out the window and waved to Ginevra and her mother, not hearing what she said as the train gathered speed and hurried on it's way to Hogwarts.

Harry sat down on the compartment seats, panting slightly with the effort it took to get his trunk up on the storage racks. Outside, the smog of the city gradually gave way to beautiful rolling fields, a clear blue sky, and the occasional herd of sheep. The clickity-clack of the the train was slowly lulling Harry to sleep. That was soon interupted by the compartment door opening.

"Excuse me, have you seen a toad anywhere?" This question was asked by a slightly pudgy faced boy with black hair and nervous looking eyes, his trunk just behind him. Harry was about to say no when he noticed the slightest of movements in the boys cargo pants.

"Have you checked your pockets?" Harry asked, a smile tugging at his lips. The boy searched his pockets and pulled out a dark green toad with black spots. It gave a rather loud croak, and leaped in to Harry's compartment. The pudgy faced boy looked relieved.

"Thanks a bunch!" Said the boy happily. "May I join you? Everywhere else is full." Harry Gestured to the seat opposite him. The boy nodded his head in thanks and sat down, not even bothering to put his trunk up. "My name's Neville. Neville Longbottom. What's yours?" Neville asked.

"Harry Potter." Harry said. Neville looked at him in shock.

"Blimey! You're really Harry Potter?" Harry nodded. Neville looked at him in awe, but then suddenly realized he was staring. He quickly looked out the window, suddenly interested in a flock of sheep. Harry thought this a bit odd. He voiced his opinion.

"What's the matter, Neville? I may be famous, but I'm still just a boy. Besides, you probably know more about the magical world than me." Harry said casually. Neville looked shocked at the fact that HE would know more than THE Harry Potter.

They were interrupted by a knock on the compartment door and a voice calling. "Anything from the trolley?" Harry lept up immediately, eager to eat as many Mars Bars and Galaxy's as he could. He had never really been allowed to have treats at the Dursley's, unless it was something Dudley didn't want. He opened the door, but instead of Mars Bars, there were Bertie Botts Every Flavoured Beans, Drooble's Best Bubble Gum, and something called a Blood Pop. Harry bought one of everything, including the Blood Pop. He took it back inside their compartment and he and Neville shared the candy. They fell in to easy conversation. Neville told Harry as much as he knew about the Wizarding World, and about the houses of Hogwarts. Harry in turn, talked about the Muggle world, and all the thing's they'd done. Over the course of the train ride, they became good friends. Harry was pleased to have another friend. He was beginning to think that this would be the best year of his life. Never before had he had so many friends as he did now. He would defintely write to Ginevra to tell her all about his new friend.

The train was beginning to slow down. The distant glow of Hogsmeade station made one think of warmth and a cozy place to sleep. Neville and Harry had changed in to their robes already and were now walking down the corridor to the door where they would disimbark the train.

"CRABBE YOU IDIOT! GET BACK HERE!" The shout caused Harry and Neville to turn around, just in time to get knocked over by what looked like a giant monkey in Hogwarts robes. It tore down the corridor, racing away from a very angry looking blonde boy. His hair was slicked back with gel, and the left arm of his robe was hanging on by a thread. A bleeding cut was just below the shoulder of the angry blonde boy. The boy was about to pass Harry and Neville, but looked down at them with an apoligy on his face. He stopped and helped them up.

"Sorry about that. Crabbe tried to cast a cutting spell, and it nearly cut my arm off."

"It's alright." Harry said. "It wasn't your fault." He looked at the cut on the boy's arm. It reminded Harry of a cut he once got when he was running from Dudley's gang. He was trying to get over a fence, but when he was about to drop down on the other side, the top of the fence caught him on his right shoulder. Harry had to rip off a sleeve of the shirt he had on and bind it. Vernon Dursley had locked him in his cuboard for a week for ruining good clothing. "Here, let me help you with that." Harry said. He ripped off the sleeve that was going to come off anyway, causing the boy to yelp in surprise and indignation. But Harry ignored him and bound the cut with the sleeve. The boy looked slightly odd with the long sleeve around his arm, but he didn't complain.

"Thank you." The boy said. "My name's Draco Malfoy. What's yours?"

"I'm Harry and this is Neville." Harry gestured to Neville. They shook hands with Draco as the door opened to let them out on to the station.

The call of "Firs' years this way!" told them where to go. "All righ' there Harry?" Hagrid boomed.

"Yeah Hagrid!" Harry shouted back.

And with that, the first years followed Hagrid to the boats.

Harry's first look at Hogwarts was like a dream come true. The castle glistened in the moonlight, its windows winking merrily at them as they passed on the water. Harry looked around at Draco and Neville, and they looked as amazed at the castle as Harry did. Eventually, they reached the Entrance Hall where they were met by a stern looking woman with greying hair, retangular specticals, and an emerald green hat.

"Good evening. I am Professor McGonagall. In a few minutes, you will walk through the doors behind me and be sorted in to your houses. They are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. (She said Slytherin like it was a bad taste in her mouth.) While you are here, your house will be like your family. House points will be awarded for good behavior and accomplishments. They will be decucted for detentions, and general bad behavior. Please wait here while we prepare for the sorting." With that, she left through a corridor on the side. The children started discussing what they would have to do for the sorting. One bushy haired girl was muttering under her breath. Another girl with dirty blonde hair was brushing said hair with a pink hair brush nervously. It was relitively quiet until one boy shouted out.

"So I heard Harry Potter's supposed to be here. Where is he then?"

Harry recognised the shouting boy as Ginevra's youngest brother. Neville and Harry shared a look, then turned back to look at the loud red haired boy. The red haired boy saw Harry and sauntered over to him. "Well well. Here's the great Harry Potter." Then he saw Draco and Neville. "No need to ask who you are. Overly gelled blonde hair. A face like a ferret. You must be a Malfoy." Draco seethed at being spoken to that way but resisted the temptation to punch him.

"I'm not even going to reply to that, Weasley. Because you are just that far benieth my notice." Ginevra's brother also had to keep back his anger. But you could tell it was a feat for him. He turned back to Harry.

"You'll find out that some Wizarding families are better than others, Potter. I can help you there." Ginevra's brother stuck out his hand. Harry looked at it for a moment before carefully choosing his words.

"I think I can tell the better ones apart from the bad ones for myself, thank you. I've already met your sister and your mother, and I think they're good people. But you; Weasley, you are not. As Draco said, you are far benith my notice."

"Why you-!" The red haired boy grabbed the front of Harry's robes, just as McGonagall walked through the doors of the Great Hall.

"Mr. Weasley! You will release him imidiately!" Shouted McGonagall. Her scottish accent acting like an electric shock, causing the ginger to back off quickly, his ears rapidly turning red with embarrasment and and anger. "What ever house you get in to Mr. Weasley, I will deduct ten points for unnecessary violence." Her lips were now a thin line of anger. "Follow me, children." She spoke to all of them.

Harry's first impression of the Great Hall was of a large church, but with no roof. He could see the stars and the sickle shaped moon above, slightly obscured by a whispy cloud. There were floating candals above everyone, creating a warm light that was supposed to make you feel welcome. It made Harry feel exposed. Whenever the Dursley's would lock him in his cupboard, the darkness would make him feel safe, protected, obsucred from the Dursley's fists of pain. When ever his cupboard door was slammed open and light flooded on to Harry, it meant he had to get up for another day of pain and fear. No, Harry would much rather it be dark. But that didn't stop him from thinking that this was the most amazing place he had ever seen or been to. It was magnificent.

"Abbott, Hannah!" Annoucned Proffesor McGonagall. A blonde girl with shoulder length hair walked foreward nervously and sat down on a rickety old stool, where McGonagall placed a ratty old hat on her head. Harry was wondering where she would be placed when without warning, the hat stiffened and shouted:

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Hannah got of the stool and quickly walked over to the table that was cheering the loudest. The other tables clapped politely.

On and on the sorting went, with Hermione Granger going to Gryffindor, until...

"Potter, Harry!"

The Great Hall went very quiet. Then the whispers broke out. Harry couldn't hear any of them over the pounding of blood in his ears, but he was unnerved nonetheless. He walked to the stool, nearly tripping over his robes in his nervousness. He sat down and the hat was placed on his head, slipping just over his eyes.

_"Hello there Mr. Potter." _Said a voice that seemed to be in Harry's head.

_"Hello Mr. Hat." _Harry replied.

_"Let's get straight to it shall we? Let's see... You've got a good head on your shoulders... Plenty of common sense. A fair bit of courage too... but only when called for... Very interesting. You're loyal to your friends to the death... But only your friends... Trust needs to be earned for you, hmm...? Oh? What's this? Oh ho ho, Mr. Potter, a very cunning mind indeed. And an ambition to prove yourself. Oh yes, you'd do well in all of the houses, but of course, there is a bit of choice left for yourself. Where would you like to go Mr. Potter?_

_"Um... I'd like to go where i'd do the best, please."_

_"Well if you grow a backbone, then you will do excelent in..._

"SLYTHERIN!"

The Great Hall was quiet for about two seconds until cheers erupted from the Slytherin table, and whispers from everywhere else. Harry quickly went to the Slytherins, and sat down near the end, a few feet away from everybody else.

Neville was placed in Gryffindor after a few minutes, Harry clapped as loudly as those at the Gryffindor table, for Neville had told him that he wanted to be in Gryffindor, just like his parents were. The other Slytherin's looked at him like he was nuts, but some looked like they wanted to kill him.

"Malfoy, Draco!"

The old hat had barely touched his head when it shouted, "SLYTHERIN!". Draco swaggered prouldy to the Slytherins and sat down next to Harry.

"It's good to finally sit at the table where my father sat. I can't wait to tell him the good news. He'll be so proud." Draco's expressions when he said this went from pride to happiness.

"Congratulations, Draco." Harry said. "I guess we'll get to see more of eachother then." Harry was very much hoping that he would get another friend to write to Ginevra about.


End file.
